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The key to win (in basically all levels) is to learn to control individual units effectively in the early game. As I said, the danger lies in the AI starting with more/stronger units. So a typical situation which will occur early on is that your light tank meets an enemy medium tank. If you just tell it to attack and leave it alone, you'll be blown to pieces. If you manage to sneak up, take a shot and then quickly run away again (and repeat), you can win this one.
That way, you should aim at taking exactly half of the territories. Try to secure those, because as I said, once the frontlines are settled this way, you've already won. One more hint: The best gun isn't actually the missile thrower, but the howitzer, in my opinion. It will even take out heavy tanks, because seeing the howitzer shell approaching, they will try to turn around and run away - making them practically stand still on the spot to be hit by one shell after another. This is another AI 'bug': A heavy tank would just have to drive on to the howitzer, taking the first hit (it can survive it) and then destroying the gun with a single shot. Same on the other end of the spectrum: you can take out an enemy howitzer with a jeep by controlling it carefully - make sure not to let it turn around when the howitzer starts shooting, because the shells will then explode well behind you.
Now... I've got to make a confession... I never beat the AI of Z, not even in the first level. My (then 10 years-old) brother played half through the game, my mother (being overstrained with Dune II and never playing any other RTS games) kept beating the little blue suckers with ease... and I failed at even the simplest challenge the game would offer. Can't tell you why, maybe I was so accustomed to games in the style of Dune II, where you build you defence grids, mass units and go crush the opponent. Having to hold a territory was too much for me. Well probably I should give it a serious try... possibly I gave up to fast.
Concerning the rating: I don't think she is trying to say, that the AI isn't good, but that the slogan with which it was advertised is very exaggerated.
I agree on removing the reference to HotU downloads, I actually had that in mind.
Mr Creosote:
It's true that there at least is an AI in the game (in contrast to most of the genre which indeed solely relies on scripted behaviour). The patched AI shipped with the expansion pack also didn't make any really stupid mistakes as far as I remember. However, it's still not a real challenge for a human player. It's only dangerous in the very early phase of the game, because the AI always starts with more units. Once the human player has captured half of the map, the AI player becomes completely useless. It doesn't have the slightest bit of a concept how to beat a human from an equal position of power. T-Pow:
Well. She Says:
Quote:
This means that the computer supposedly actually responds to the player's moves and changes its strategy accordingly. In reality, unfortunately, the game's AI is not that advanced, and often even makes silly mistakes.
And indeed the computer player reacts on your moves. And yes, sometimes it makes silly moves. But I have not seen any other game with such an strong AI. And what is the meaning of an AI anyway? It should simulate an human player and as we all know, every human player makes sometimes silly moves. So the AI does an pretty good job I´d say.
Edit:
Just rated the game with 5. But obviously you´re right. My opinion is not the point. On the other hand, the original reviewer has not mentioned a single RTS game with an better AI than "Z".
Mike:
Good times Gernot:
I love this game
cjgm:
This is a best page Tapuak:
Feel free to share anything about Z (1996) here!
Comments (8) [Post comment]
The key to win (in basically all levels) is to learn to control individual units effectively in the early game. As I said, the danger lies in the AI starting with more/stronger units. So a typical situation which will occur early on is that your light tank meets an enemy medium tank. If you just tell it to attack and leave it alone, you'll be blown to pieces. If you manage to sneak up, take a shot and then quickly run away again (and repeat), you can win this one.
That way, you should aim at taking exactly half of the territories. Try to secure those, because as I said, once the frontlines are settled this way, you've already won. One more hint: The best gun isn't actually the missile thrower, but the howitzer, in my opinion. It will even take out heavy tanks, because seeing the howitzer shell approaching, they will try to turn around and run away - making them practically stand still on the spot to be hit by one shell after another. This is another AI 'bug': A heavy tank would just have to drive on to the howitzer, taking the first hit (it can survive it) and then destroying the gun with a single shot. Same on the other end of the spectrum: you can take out an enemy howitzer with a jeep by controlling it carefully - make sure not to let it turn around when the howitzer starts shooting, because the shells will then explode well behind you.
Now... I've got to make a confession... I never beat the AI of Z, not even in the first level.
My (then 10 years-old) brother played half through the game, my mother (being overstrained with Dune II and never playing any other RTS games) kept beating the little blue suckers with ease... and I failed at even the simplest challenge the game would offer. Can't tell you why, maybe I was so accustomed to games in the style of Dune II, where you build you defence grids, mass units and go crush the opponent. Having to hold a territory was too much for me. 
Well probably I should give it a serious try... possibly I gave up to fast.
Concerning the rating: I don't think she is trying to say, that the AI isn't good, but that the slogan with which it was advertised is very exaggerated.
I agree on removing the reference to HotU downloads, I actually had that in mind.
Well. She Says:
And indeed the computer player reacts on your moves. And yes, sometimes it makes silly moves. But I have not seen any other game with such an strong AI. And what is the meaning of an AI anyway? It should simulate an human player and as we all know, every human player makes sometimes silly moves. So the AI does an pretty good job I´d say.
Edit:
Just rated the game with 5. But obviously you´re right. My opinion is not the point. On the other hand, the original reviewer has not mentioned a single RTS game with an better AI than "Z".